Motor operated sectional sliding door



J. P. REINHARDT MOTOR OPERATED SECTIONAL SLIDING DOOR 'Filed March 26,1949 Sept. 8, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet l lNvl-:NroR JOHN l? REINHARDTATTORNEY Sept. 8, 1953 .1. P.'RE1NHARDT 2,651,360 MOTOROPERATEDSKECTIONAL sLIniNG noR Filed March 26, 1949 v s sheets-sheet 2INVENTOR JOHN l? REINHAR DT WAT@ Sept. 8, 1953 J. P. REINHARDT l2,651,360

MOTOR OPERATED sEcTroNAL sLInING noon Filed Maron 2e, 1.949

'3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR JOHN e REINHARDT llifted t0 Slide the SEGODS=on the chain increases vVide a strong, rugged 'tures of construction,vcombination Patented Sept. 8, l95

oFFlcE 2,651,360 MOTOR OPERATED SECTIONAL SLIDING DOOR John P.Reinhardt, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application March 26, 1949, Serial No. 83,589

This invention relates to motor .operated sectional sliding doorsoperating-in tracks and mov.- vable from vertical position closing the.door .opening to a horizontal position above the door opening anduncovering the same.

An object of lthis invention is to provide a .motor operated door of thecharacter described com, prising a motor driven shaft carrying sprocketwheels and chains over the sprocket wheels Aconnected to the lowerends.of the rdoorso that when the shaft is rotated in yone direction, `thedoor is of .the :door from vertical portions of the .tracks .or guidesand then around curved upper portions .of the Vguides into horizontalportions of 4.the guides.

Yet another object is .to provide in a Inptor operated door of the.character described, 4spring means to take up slack in the chains when`the door is lifted, the springmeans beingjullycoinpressed at thebeginning'ofthe downward :moyement of the door, and asthesectionsfoftherdQQr come into the vertical guide .or track, the tension .until the`tension Von the spring means eases up.

Yet a further obiectofthis-inventionis ttOiplOe :and durable motoronerated door construction :of the ,character described which may beusedvforfactoles and the like, which shall be snfioothfand positive inoperation and practical and...ecien.t 120.,.ahgh-delee A in use.

- obvious Vand in parthereinafter lno ildierl.ont.

The .invention .accordingly .cDIlSists in the ifea- Qf elements,

and arrangement of. parts which .will beexernplined in the construction.hereinafter described,

.and of which the scope of v.invention beindi cated in the followingclaims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown various illustrative:..embQ invention:

Fig. 1 is a .front elevational view cfa in otor operated door embodyingathe invention showing lthe door in full lines .partially lifted :.up,.landin dotted linesin the downward-.positionioffthefdoor and with partsbrokenawayand-incross-sectign;

Fig. 2 is a top .plan .view cf-:themotor controlled chain drive;

Fig. Sis a cross-secticnal-view Ytakenon line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. l is a cross-.sectional VeWLlflSQIlQDtll-le 4-4 0f Fig. 3;

ing. .5 .is a :partial-irrenlarecdacross-sectional View .takenonlinei-Sfi of Fig.. .3

aliments .of this,

Fig. 6 is a partially enlarged View illustrating the interconnectedsections of the door and the guide track therefor;

Fig, 7 is an enlarged side elevational view of the spring slack take-upIneans between the uppermost section o f thedoor and the upper end 0fthe chains;

Fig. 8 is a egress-sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7 i i Fig. 9is a cross-sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 10 is a partial view showing the connection between one of thechains and the lower end of the door. '4

Referring now in detail to the drawing, l0 designates a floor, .IIIdesignates a'wall formed with a door opening i2,'"and i3 designates aceiling. In the drawing, |14 designates a sectional door for closing thedoor opening l2. The door i4 is supposedguide tracks I5. Each guidetrack i5 cornprises avertical portion [6, a curved top portion il', andrearwardly extending horizontal portion i8. The vertical portions l 6are located on opposite sides of thedoor opening I2 and inwardly of saiddoor opening.

The lower ends of the tracks I5 are anchored, as at 20 in the floor l0.The tracks are of channel shape cross-section, each comprising a web 2land anges 22 extending inwardly from the web 2l. The top portions AI-8of the disposed wholly .above the door opening h2.s

The door lll .comprises a plurality of .interpivoted door .sections A25.Each doorsectionV 25 comprises a rectangular Asection frame 26 which maycarry a .window orpanell'. The lower side wardly and inwardlyv extendingl brackets .l

brackets, 3,0 and 3. are Yinterpivoted by.V pivot lpins 32 which serveas shafts for carrying the rollers 33 which roll within the channeltracks I5. At the lower ends of the lowermost section 25 are downwardlyand inwardly extending brackets 34 carrying similar rollers 35 receivedfrom within the tracks. Fixed to the upper portions of the topmostsection are inwardly extending brackets 31 carrying rollers 38 receivedfrom within said tracks.

When the door is lifted in the manner hereinafter to be described, asthe rollers 33 move from the vertical track sections IB around thecurved track sections I1, the sections 25 will swing relatively to oneanother about the pivot shafts 32. Thus adjacent portions of adjacentsections will separate as said sections move through the curved portionsI1 of the tracks, and then said adjacent portions of said ad, jacentsections will again move toward each the horizontal track parts I8 orinto the vertical track parts I6. It will be noted that the door I4 whenin vertical or down position is located just rearwardly of the dooropening I2 and between the Wall II and the vertical portions I of thetracks I5. It will also be noted that the horizontal portions I8 of thetracks are of suicient length so that the entire door may be raised andmoved into horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

Means is provided for lifting and lowering the door I5. To this end,there is fixed to the underside of the ceiling I3, brackets 4t carryingbearings 4I supporting for rotation a horizontal shaft 42. The shaft 42is located above the track portions I8 and just in back of the wall II.To one end of the shaft 42 is fixed a worm wheel 43. Rotatably mountedon a bracket e4 supported in any suitable manner, is a worm 45 meshingwith the worm wheel 43. The axis of the worm 45 is perpendicular to theaxis of the shaft 42. The worm 45 is supported on a horizontal shaft 45.Fixed to said shaft for rotation with the worm 45 is a gear 41.

Supported on a fixed bracket 48 is an electric motor 49. Fixed to themotor shaft 50 is a pinion 5I meshing with the gear 41. It will now beunderstood that when` the motor is energized the shaft 42 will berotated. The motor is preferably a reversible motor so that the shaft 42may be rotated in either direction. Fixed to the shaft 42 are a pair ofsprocket wheels 53 disposed substantially in the plane of the tracksAttached to the ceiling I3 are brackets 55 rotatably supporting ahorizontal shaft 56 parallel to shaft 42 and disposed rearwardlytherewith and at a somewhat lower level. Fixed to the shaft 55 forrotation therewith are a pair of sprocket wheels 51 aligned with thesprocket wheels 53. Extending over the sprocket wheels 53 and under thesprocket wheels 41 are a pair of sprocket chains 65. The lower ends ofthe sprocket chains 60 are fixed to the Vlower ends of the lowermostdoor section, as shown in Figs. l and 10 of the drawing. There may beattached to the lowermost door section at the ends thereof and adjacentthe lower edges thereof, suitable brackets 62 carrying pins 63 to whichthe lower ends of the chains GB are attached.

When the shaft 42 is rotated in a clockwise direction, looking at Fig. 3of the drawing, the chains will pull up the door and slide the sectionsfrom vertical to horizontal position, or in other words, from tracksections I5 around track'. sections I1 and on to track sections I8.

Means is provided to connect the upper end of the door to the rear endsof the chains 50. To this end, there is slidably mounted on and betweenthe horizontal portions I8 of the tracks, a carriage 55. The carriage'55 comprises a pair' of angular members 66. Each member 65 has' ahorizontal rearwardly extending portion 61 and a vertical upwardlyextending portion 58. The upper ends of the portion 58 are intercomnected by a horizontal rod 69. The front and rear ends of portions 61are interconnected by horizontal rods 13 and 1I respectively. Theangular members 166 are located inside of the tracks. Mounted forrotation on the ends of the shaft 15 and 1I are rollers 12 and 13 whichmay rotate within the horizontal portions I8 of the tracks I5.

The rear ends of the chains 55 are fixed to the outer ends of thetransverse shaft 69. On the shaft 1I is a sleeve 15 fixed to the angularmember 66. Fixed to the ends of the sleeves 15 are lugs 16. The lugs 16are formed with through openings 11 for the purpose hereinafterappearing. Mounted for rotation in the tracks I5 are rollers 'I1supported on shafts 18. The rollers 11 are located between the rollers13 and the front wall II. On shafts 18 are sleeves 19. Fixed to thesleeves are upstanding lugs SQ parallel to the lugs 16. The lugs areformed with through openings 8l aligned with the opening 15. Pivotallyinterconnecting the shaft 18 with the pivot shafts '84 in the rollers 38are links S5. Thus, the shafts 84 supported by the brackets 31 of thetopmost door section 25 are connected by links 85 to the shafts 18 whichcarry the rollers 11 and which support the upstanding lugs 83. Extendingthrough the aligned openings 1I and 8| of the lugs IE5 and 811 andadjacent each track is a horizontal rod 88., Screwed to the ends of therods 83 are headsA 89. Any suitable heads may be provided for the. endsof the rods 88. Surrounding each rod 83 and interposed between the lugs16 and 8c is. a coil compression spring 9U.

The operation of the device will now be described. As the motor operatesto rotate the shaft 42 in a clockwise direction, looking at Fig. 3 ofthe drawing, the chains 50 will lift the door and the springs will takeup the slack in the rear end of the chains. The sprocket wheels 51 serveas idlers.` Thus, the door may be lifted from the full to the dottedline shown in the drawing, the door moving from the vertical portions ofthe tracks to the horizontal portion of said tracks, and as the doorsections swing around the portions I1, the springs 13 serve to take upthe slack in When the motor is reversed to lower the door, the spring 90is first fully compressed as the chain 65 pulls the carriage 65 to theleft, but as the door progresses downwardly into the vvertical portionsof the bracket I5, the tension on the chain increases until the tensionon the springs eases up.

Any suitable switch means may be used for stopping the operation of themotor in the fully closed and the Vfully open position of the door.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which theseveral objects of this invention are achieved, and which is welladapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention,and as various changes might be made in the embodiment abovev 'setforth, itis to be, understood thaty all matter herein set forth or shownin the. accompanying drawing is to. be interpretedas illustrative andnot in a limiting sense.

Having thus. described my: invention, I claim as new and desire. tosecure by.- Letters Patent:

1. In combination having vertical portions, curved portions at. theupper ends of the vertical portions and hori. zontal portions extendingfromI said# curved portions, a sectional door comprising.. interpivoted.sections, rollers on. said; sections disposed within said. tracks, ahorizontal shaft above; said track, sprocket wheels. on rotating.. said.shaft, inextensible. chains on said sprocket wheelsA respectively``having'. their lower ends connectedy to..theA lower end; ofthe door, acarriage. slidably horizontal. portions. ofy said tracks in spacedrelation. to. the. upper end.: off the-door, therear ends of. saidchains being connected to saidi carriage, and'means, includingI springmeans. interposed between theupper end. of the door. anda said. car.riage, to, urge. the. carriage away. from, the door and to take` up.slack in. said:` chain.

2. In combination with a. pair of. aligned: symmetrical. tracks having.vertical. upwardly extend'.- ing` portions .and rearwardly extendinghorizontal portions and curved. portions. interconnecting said verticaland horizontal portions, a sectional door comprising.- a pluralityof.sectionsbrackets fixed to adjacent portions of said sections, interpivotmeans to connect said brackets, rollers` on saidinterpivotmeans-received: Within saidftracks, a horizontalshaft mounted forrotation, sprocket Wheels-onsaid shaft, reversible .motor means. forrotating.v saidshaft in oppositedirectionsa sec. ondshaft parallel-.to.the first shaft, idler sprocket wheelson said.y second; shaft,inextensible chains connected-at their lowerends-to the lowermostsectiony ofv the door and: passing. over. the firstmentionedsprocketfwheels andunder the second mentioned` sprocket wheels,a carriage slidably mounted, on. and.` between said horizontal por.-tionsA of said., tracks and. connected: to the. rear ends. ofsaid.chains, said carriage being spaced rearwardlyof the uppermost section*kof the.v door,

a. pair. of. rollers. mounted on saidtracks, links connectingsaidpairofrollers to the uppermost section of: said: door, and meansincludingzspring means. interposed between. said: pairv of-s rollers andsaid carriage to urge the-.carriageawayfrom thedoor and totake kupslackinttheechains as the door. is. lifted.

3; Incombination. with a.- door opening,- andv apairl of trackshaving-,vertical portions atfoppof.

site Si fles..of..- the door. Opening.: and.- inwardly @X-tendinghorizontal portions abovethe-,door openieg: Connected te the.

vided with pins carrying,'rollers.receivedLin-said tracks,A brackets atthe uppen ends-of: the-.uppermost section providedwithpinscarryingrollera receiyedwithin said tracks. rollers.; in the hori.

zontal portionscf said tracks, agtransverse shaft t9.. supportsaidrollers, links/.interconnecting -the last mentioned pins with saidtransverse-shaft, lugsjxed with respect to.- Said :transverse shaft,

and estendins llpllardlve therefromt and gforrnedf with a pairVv off-aligned tracks saidf shaf-t, motorA means for mounted on and. between.the.

vertical portions.. 0f the tracks by, upwardly.. and inwardly- Cillvdftrack sections, pivot pins. rollerssonrsaidpivotpins receivedfw-ithinsaid-tracks, brackets. atthe.. lower; endsof the lowermost4 sectionandpro.-V

. in said pull means,

6;. with openings, a carriage. slidably molmted.on:` and between saidhorizontal portions of: said-` tracks, lugs on said carriage. formed`with.l openings aligned with the openings. in the rst.; meuf` tionedlugs respectively, a. rod. slidablyA` passing. through each pair of,laligned openings., heads; at the ends of each ofsaid rods, aA coil.compres` sion spring on each of said rods. and. between said lugs whichhave the opening through which. the rod passes, flexible inextensiblepull means. having opposite endsconnectecl tothe lowermost, section ofthe door and tothe carriage, and drive; means. in drivingv engagement,with theA pull means intermediate the ends of said pullk means..

4. In combination, a. door comprising a plural.- ity of interpivotedsections, guide tracksorr which said door travels, a. carriage mountedon; said; tracks for movement thereon. andf being spaced; from the upperend of the door, iiexiblel inex.-y tensible pull means connecting the'.lower endv of the door to. said carriage, spring-y take4V up; means,interposed between the upper end. of said. doorV and carriage to moveythe carriage. awayv fromA the upper end of the d oorI and. to. takeup4slack; and. meanstomove said pull means in opposite directions, saidspring take-.upA means comprising stopsmovable with saidfcare riage andwith. the uppermost.. section of' saidf' door respectively, a, coil:compression spring be.-v4 tween said stops. and meanseslidablerelativetci. at least one of said stops. tosupportrsaid:springe.

5. in combination, a. door comprising; a.. plurality of interpivotedAsections, guide` tracks, on, which said door travels, a.carriagemountedon. said. tracks. for movement thereon,` said.' carriagebeing spaced from. the upperend ofithedoor; an. electric reversiblemotor, a shaft, drive: means; connecting said motor with. said shaft,apairof sprocket wheelsxedtozsaid.- shaft, andf.inex1,v tensiblesprocket .chainsfmeshing with saidswheels; and each connected. at.onependsto the lowermost. section of the door, and` atthe other ends to`said carriage, stops movable with saidI carriage. and with the uppermostsection: of. said: door respectively, a coil compression. springbetweensaid stops to push the` carriage away; from the` door and takeup-slackinthe. chains, andmeans: slidable relative to atv least... one:of-'isaid stops.l to .support `said spring.-

6. In combination-with'a pair ofA aligned tracksg, having vertical;portions, rearwardly.: curved pqr-l., tions at the upper.- ends of: theverticaliportions. and horizontal portions: extending, from. said;curved portions, a'sectionaltdoor comprising-im. terpivoted sections,rollers on saidssectionv dis posed within saidtracks, ahorizontal'shaftabove: said track, sprocket wheelsfonsaid shaft; motorfmeans forrotating said shaft, chains. on said@ sprocket wheel-s connectedv` to*the: lower-end" ois` the door, a carriage slidablymountedfon.and;between the horizontaly portionsof saidtracks, the rear ends of.saidchainsbeing.- connectedfto-y said carriage and springmeansdto;take=.up;;slack; in Said Chains.. interposed between-thermen; end

of the Vdoor with saidfca-rriaga.saidfcarriagercomfvertical portions .ofsaid brackets, rollers on.said pair of vbrackets received insaidatracksf'7. In combination, a. pair off aligned. guide:

tracks having vertica l'portions,. curved apart-ions.;

at the upper Y ends ,.of l"said-Lvertical.fportionsi; andi horizontalportions extending from said curved portions, said tracks comprisingchannels opening inwardly, a door comprising a plurality of sectionshaving edge to edge contact, means to interpivct adjacent sections aboutpivots offset from the plane of the door, rollers on said pivotsreceived in said tracks, a shaft carrying rollers received in thehorizontal portion of the tracks and connected by links to the uppermostsection, a carriage carrying rollers received in the horizontal portionsof said tracks, take up springs interposed between said carriage andshaft, a drive shaft, sprocket wheels thereon, sprocket chains meshingwith said sprocket wheels, one end of each chain being attached to saidcarriage, and the other end being attached to the lowermost section ofsaid door, a reversible electric motor and means to connect said motorfor rotating said sprocket wheels.

l 8. In combination, a pair of aligned guide tracks having verticalportions, curved portions at the upper ends of said vertical portions,and horizontal portions extending from said curved portions, said trackscomprising channels opening inwardly, a door comprising a plurality ofsections having edge to edge contact, means to interpivct adjacentsections about pivots oiset from the plane of the door, rollers on saidpivots received in said tracks, a shaft carrying rollers received in thehorizontal portion of the tracks and connected by links to the uppermostsection, a carriage carrying rollers received in the horizontal portionsof said tracks, take up springs interposed between said carriage andshaft, a drive shaft, sprocket wheels thereon, sprocket chains meshingwith said sprocket wheels, one end of each chain being attached to saidcarriage, and the other end being attached to the lowermost section ofsaid door, a reversible electric motor and means including a worm andworm gear to connect said motor for rotating said sprocket wheels, andidler sprocket wheels meshing with said chains.

' 9. In combination, guide tracks for a sectional door including a.vertical portion, an upwardly and rearwardly curved portion extendingfrom the upper end of the vertical portion and a horizontal rearwardlyextending portion extending from said curved portion, a sectional doorcomprising door sections adapted to be located in a plane in front ofthe vertical portion of the track, brackets extending rearwardly fromsaid sections, means to interpivct the brackets at adjacent ends toadjacent sections, rollers on the interpivct means located within saidtrack, rotary sprocket wheels above the vertical portion of the track,reversible motor means to rotate said sprocket wheels, in oppositedirections, sprocket chains engaging said sprocket wheels, said chainshaving vertical portions disposed in front of the vertical portions ofthe track and connected at their lower ends of the lowermost section tothe door and disposed in the plane of said sections when the door is inits down position, a carriage slidably mounted on the horizontal portionof the track and being spaced rearwardly of the upper end of the door,means to connect the opposite ends of said chains to said carriage, andspring compression means interposed between the uppermost section andthe carriage to push the carriage away from said uppermost section andto take up slack in said chains and whereby when the door is in its downposition and the motor is operated in one direction the chains will pullthe door upwardly from its lower end so that said section will turn fromthe vertical portion of the track around the curved portion of the trackinto the horizontal portion of the track, and when the motor is reversedsaid opposite ends of the chain will pull the carriage forwardly tocompress the spring means and push the door forwardly of the horizontaltrack and around the curved portion of the track into the verticalportion of the track.

10. In combination, guide tracks for a sectional door including avertical portion, an upwardly and rearwardly curved portion extendingfrom the upper end of the vertical portion and a horizontal rearwardlyextending portion extending from said curved portion, a sectional doorcomprising door sections adapted to be located in a plane in front ofthe vertical portion of the track, brackets extending rearwardly fromsaid sections, means to interpivct the brackets at adjacent ends toadjacent sections, rollers on the interpivct means located within saidtrack, rotary sprocket wheels above the vertical portion of the track,reversible motor means to rotate said sprocket wheels, in oppositedirections, sprocket chains engaging said sprocket wheels, said chainshaving vertical portions disposed in front of the vertica1 portions ofthe track and connected at their lower ends of the lowermost section tothe door and disposed in the plane of said sections when the door is inits down position, a carriage slidably mounted on the horizontal portionof the track and being spaced rearwardly of the uppermost section of thedoor, means to connect the opposite ends of said chains to saidcarriage, and spring compression means interposed between the uppermostsection and the carriage to push the carriage away from the door andtake up slack in the chains, and whereby when the door is in its downposition and the motor is operated in one direction the chains will pullthe door upwardly from its lower end so that said section will turn fromthe vertical portion of the track around the curved portion of the trackinto the horizontal portion of the track, and when the motor is reversedsaid opposite ends of the chain will pull the carriage forwardly tocompress the spring means and push the door forwardly of the horizontaltrack and around the curved portion of the track into the verticalportion of the track, and worm and worm gear means interposed betweenthe motor and the sprocket wheels.

l1. In combination, a door comprising a plurality of interpivotedsections, guide tracks on which said door travels, including an upwardlyextending portion and a rearwardly extending portion, and a curvedportion connecting the rearwardly extending portion with the upper endof the upwardly extending portion, a carriage on the rearwardlyextending portion of said tracks and spaced rearwardly of the upper endof the door, springs interconnecting said carriage with the uppermostsection of the door and urging the carriage away from the door, asprocket wheel mounted for rotation above the upwardly extending portionof the track, a sprocket chain engaging said wheel and connected at itslower end to the lowermost section of the door and at its opposite endto the carriage whereby the slack in the chain is taken up by saidsprings, an electric motor an-d drive means connecting the electricmotor with said sprocket wheel.

12. In combination, a door comprising a plurality of interpivotedsections, guide tracks on which said door travels, including an upwardlyextending portion and a rearwardly extending portion, and a curvedportion connecting the rearwardly extending portion with the upper endof the upwardly extending portion, a carriage on f the rearwardlyextending portion of said tracks and spaced rearwardly of the upper endof the door, springs interconnecting said carriage with the uppermostsection of the door and urging the carriage away from the door, asprocket wheel mounted for rotation above the upwardly extending portionof the track, a sprocket chain engaging said wheel and connected at itslower end to the lowermost section of the door and at its opposite endto the carriage whereby the slack in the chain is taken up by saidsprings, an electric motor and drive means connecting the electric motorwith said sprocket wheel, said drive means including a worm and wormwheel.

13. In combination, a door comprising a plurality of interpivotedsections, guide tracks on which said door travels, said guide trackshaving vertical and horizontal portions and a curved interconnectingportion, a carriage slidably mounted on the horizontal portion of vsaidtracks for movement thereon and being spaced horizontally from the upperend of the door, exible pull means connecting the lower end of the doorto said carriage, means including spring terposed between said carriageand .door to take JOI-IN P. REINHARDT.

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